Advertising and promotional inserts are well known for magazines and other types of periodicals. These inserts can be as simple as a postcard insert that is placed between two pages of a magazine, and is not attached to the magazine. However, these postcard inserts routinely fall out from between the magazine pages, when the magazine is opened. Another type of insert is an attached postcard that is secured to the magazine by, for example, the center staples used to bind the pages of the magazine. A multi-ply advertising insert for a magazine where the insert forms a pocket for a return brochure is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,563. A third type of promotion included with magazines are product inserts, such as sample products of toothpaste, computer software CDROMS and other small samples, that are included within the pages of the magazine or enclosed within the plastic wrapper for the magazine.
An advantage of advertising inserts in a magazine or periodical is that their is no postage cost for the insert itself. The mailing cost is only that associated with mailing the magazine. There is no additional postage cost due to the advertising insert. The cost of mailing advertising and promotional materials usually represents a substantial portion of the costs associated with those materials. Even when advertising and promotional materials are sent at bulk mail rates, the postage costs are substantial to separately mail advertisements and promotions. Inserting advertising and promotional materials in magazines is one technique used to avoid (or at least lessen) the costs of mailing advertisements and promotions.
Prior advertising and promotional inserts for magazine have not been effective as other types of brochures, and have not fully utilized the free postage advantage held by the inserts. These inserts tend to be small and provide limited information, in contrast to separately mailed, high-quality brochures and catalogs that include glossy photographs and detailed descriptions of products and services. The inserts are in stark contrast to the color photographs and extensive written text materials provided on the advertisements and articles on the pages of the magazines that include the inserts. Adverting inserts in magazines also are not personal, in that they are not addressed to the magazine subscriber, do not refer to the subscriber by name, and do not provide information tailored to the subscriber. In summary, the inserts and other promotional materials conventionally included in magazines have not been at the same high quality printing of the magazine itself. Accordingly, a long-felt need has existed for high-quality advertising inserts and attachments for magazines that are personalized, utilize promotions to entice magazine subscribers to purchase the product or use the service being advertised or effectively utilize the free postage associated with mailing the advertisement with the magazine.
The present invention is an advertising or promotional brochure, e.g., such as Moore's promotional (sm), to be mailed in conjunction with a magazine, periodical, or other publications mailed using us. Postal service standard or periodical rates. The brochure may include high-quality, glossy photographs, and be personalized with text and/or images that relate specifically to the magazine subscriber. In addition, the brochure may include coupons, such as for product price discounts, bank checks, rebates, etc. (collectively referred to as coupons) for sales discounts and other promotions that may be redeemed by the magazine subscriber. The brochure may be embodied as a multi-page pamphlet that has an appearance and cover similar to the magazine to which it is attached. Accordingly, the present invention provides an advertising and promotional brochure that is every bit as appealing to the magazine subscriber, as is the magazine itself.
The brochure is intended to effectively use the free postage for riders and other inserts to magazines and periodicals. In this regard, the advertising brochure may have substantial portions, e.g., at least 25% of its page area, devoted to editorial and/or public service information to satisfy postage regulations for free postage. A magazine-type layout for the brochure is well-suited to the presentation of editorial and public service information, and thus magazine-type layouts are particularly suited for the present invention.
The present invention solves the long-felt need for a high-quality, personalized magazine insert or attachment. The same high-quality photographs, graphics and text used in a magazine may also be used to create the layout of the present inventive brochures. In addition, the present inventive brochures may include personalized information, such as the name and address of the magazine subscriber, and information related to the subscriber. It is believed that magazine subscribers are more likely to read and act on a promotional or advertising brochure made in accordance with the present invention, than on other conventional magazine inserts.
The invention also includes a new method and arrangement of form assembly apparatuses for assembling and printing an advertising or promotional brochure for mailing with a magazine or other type of periodical. For example, the advertising or promotional brochure is formed from two or three continuous webs. The front and back cover of the advertising promotion are formed from a first web, and coupons and insert pages to the brochure are formed from a second web. Printers, such as color laser printers, ink-jet prints and the like, are used to imprint photographs, graphics and text onto both webs to form the high-quality, glossy color printing used in the brochure. In addition to fixed text, photographs and graphics, the printers may imprint variable information, such as the magazine's subscribers name and address onto the web. The variable printers are controlled by computers that merge variable data with the fixed text and graphics as the printing process is ongoing.
The first web is perforated along a transverse line to define the top and bottom edges of the cover sheet to the advertising promotion. A folder can crease the web longitudinally, or in a zig-zag manner to form the cover sheet, which is then ready for assembly with the coupons (such as live checks) and inserts formed from the second web. The second web is cut into coupons, and, if desired, into small individual sheets which are inserted in the cover sheet and attached thereto to form the advertising or promotional brochure. At this point the brochure is ready for attachment to the magazine, such as by a glue strip (or polybagged). If desired, the address for the magazine may be printed on the advertising brochure, and that printed address may be used to mail the magazine and brochure.